Apple recalls iPhone USB power adapters

Apple's tiny mains-to-USB power adapter, supplied with iPhone 3Gs, may easily break, leaving the prongs lodged dangerously in the socket. From the AP:

We have received reports of detached blades involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold, but no injuries have been reported," Apple said in a statement.

Spokeswoman Natalie Kerris could not say exactly how many adapters have broken in this way.

The recall affects ultra-compact USB power adapters sold in the United States, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Panama and Peru.

Adapters with a green dot on the bottom are safe and do not need to be replaced, Apple said.

[#1 posted by Alan , September 22, 2008 9:01 AM]

Damn, yet another chore.

Details here:

http://www.apple.com/support/usbadapter/exchangeprogram/

[#2 posted by Rob Beschizza , September 22, 2008 9:48 AM]

Unused headline: "Apple explains why all British power sockets include off switches."

[#3 posted by Anonymous , September 22, 2008 9:56 AM]

Dammit Rob, you beat me to it. Not just the British ones either. Most Commmonwealth countries I've visited (and the one I was born in) have switches. I always found the US switch-less system kinda...eerie. And this is why.

[#4 posted by Rob Beschizza , September 22, 2008 11:44 AM]

Yeah. I'm really hoping this is one of those "because we found that applying 20,000 lbs of lateral pressure caused it" lab situations that led to the recall, not an actual real-life event.

Because it's way to easy to imagine something bad happening in the latter case. The idea of the metal prongs sat there sticking out of the socket, it gives me the shivers.

[#5 posted by Halloween Jack , September 22, 2008 12:44 PM]

Another great reason for plugging your stuff into a power strip whenever possible... unless your power strip plug is defective. Whoopsie!